Received the following, relating to the 20123 Midsumma Festival:
YARRA CYCLE PATH DIVERSION
Please be advised that the Yarra Bicycle Trail at Birrarung Marr will be diverted for a period of approximately one week, as preparations are made for the 2013 Midsumma Carnival.
From Monday, 7 January through to Tuesday, 15 January, the path along the Yarra River will be diverted along Batman Avenue. Please slow down and take care when using the Path, and be aware that there will be trucks and construction vehicles in the vicinity working on the Carnival site.
Riders will be required to walk their bikes during the day of the event for the safety of the event's 120,000 expected guests. Free bike parking will be available onsite from 11:00am – 6:00pm on Sunday 13 January.
On 13 January 2013, Midsumma will transform Birrarung Marr with seven hours of free entertainment on two stages, and over 80 stalls populated by community and commercial groups.
For further information, please head to midsumma.org.au/event/carnival.
Problem: "diversion" along Batman Avenue (i.e. the toll bridge) is not a diversion, it's a one-way trip to nowhere. Do we then use Flinders Street for 2 blocks to get to St Kilda Road/Swanston Street? Does the "diversion" include a dedicated bike path along Flinders Street for these two blocks. Don't hold your breath.
The path up to St Kilda Road is the only link between southbank and St Kilda Road and Swanston Street. It is often closed when Federation Square rents out the space, including ironically for the "Sustainable Living Festival". This underlines the need for a permanent, unconflicted route along the southern edge of the City – Melbourne BUG suggest Flinders Street should get permanent, protected bike lanes.
*Subsequent clarification received by email, not all of Birrarung Marr will be closed, and the path through Birrarung Marr will remain open, so the Flinders Street death lottery won't be necessary on your way to Swanston Street. The City of Melbourne prefers bikes to use this route in any case, and in the past has tried to prevent bikes riding the direct route alongside the river. So it's not surprising they are prepared to lock bikes out of the more direct route.
The reality is that in general there's a lack of segregated bicycle paths along both sides of the Yarra in the CBD. There's certainly plenty of space, at least on the southern side. But generally it's just the cyclists who get a bad rap for being 'idiotic' enough to try to cycle through a busy shared pathway – sometimes deservedly so, but of course its the cyclist who's going to bear the brunt of it if there is a collision!